Montana Code 20-4-101. System and definitions of teacher and specialist certification — student teacher exception
20-4-101. System and definitions of teacher and specialist certification — student teacher exception. (1) In order to establish a uniform system of quality education and to ensure the maintenance of professional standards, a system of teacher and specialist certification must be established and maintained under the provisions of this title and a person may not be permitted to teach in the public schools of the state until the person has obtained a teacher or specialist certificate or the district has obtained an emergency authorization of employment from the state.
Terms Used In Montana Code 20-4-101
- Board of regents: means the board of regents of higher education created by Article X, section 9, subsection (2), of the Montana constitution and 2-15-1505. See Montana Code 20-1-101
- district: means the territory, regardless of county boundaries, organized under the provisions of this title to provide public educational services under the jurisdiction of the trustees prescribed by this title. See Montana Code 20-6-101
- Person: includes a corporation or other entity as well as a natural person. See Montana Code 1-1-201
- State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Montana Code 1-1-201
- System: means the Montana university system. See Montana Code 20-1-101
- Teacher: means a person, except a district superintendent, who holds a valid Montana teacher certificate that has been issued by the superintendent of public instruction under the provisions of this title and the policies adopted by the board of public education and who is employed by a district as a member of its instructional, supervisory, or administrative staff. See Montana Code 20-1-101
- teacher or specialist certificate: means a certificate issued or applied for under 20-4-106. See Montana Code 20-4-101
- University: means the university of Montana-Missoula. See Montana Code 20-1-101
(2)As used in this part, “teacher or specialist certificate” means a certificate issued or applied for under 20-4-106. The term “teacher or specialist” refers to a person certified under 20-4-106.
(3)The certification requirement does not apply to:
(a)a student teacher who is a student enrolled in an institution of higher learning approved by the board of regents of higher education for teacher training and who is jointly assigned by the institution of higher learning and the governing board of a district or a public institution to perform practice teaching in a nonsalaried status under the direction of a regularly employed and certificated teacher; or
(b)an instructor employed by the Montana university system or an accredited institution of equal rank and standing as that of any unit of the Montana university system when teaching any advanced course offered to pupils as defined in 20-1-101 for college credit, including courses provided pursuant to 20-3-324(28).
(4)An individual to whom the certification requirement does not apply under subsection (3) must be accorded the same protection of the laws as that accorded a certificated teacher and shall, while performing functions authorized under subsection (3), comply with all rules of the governing board of the district or public institution and the applicable provisions of 20-4-301 relating to the duties of teachers.